Welcome Lily Malone!
So glad you could pop in and share a little about yourself and your writing.
1. What is the theme of the book you are working on?
The book I'm writing is Butterfly House Book 2 (for want of a more imaginative title). It is a romantic comedy with a mystery twist. It's set in my local area of the south west of Western Australia and it involves also the stealing of the (now famous) Cowaramup Cows. The first Butterfly House was a lot of fun to write, but now I need to kick on and get Book 2 written!
2. What was/is one of the hardest things about writing one of your books/current manuscript? (Did you or do you want to throw it into the fire like frodo?)
One of my books which is currently in submission process is not a romance, it's women's fiction. The hardest thing for me was to make sure it never sounded too much like 'romance', and also to actually end the darn thing. I have had so many endings to that particular book. I had a Happy Ending (too much like romance); and I now have a not so happy ending. I think I wrote the ending 4 times, different each time.
3. Because everyone always wants to know are you a Panster or Plotter?
Here's a 1 word answer for you!
'Pantster' 🙂
4. How important are reviews to you? Do you get upset when they aren’t favourable? (Like stalk the reviewer and wish they get infested with a thousand fleas.)
They are important and they can give great information. For instance, two of my books were initially self-published and are now with Escape Publishing. Seeing early reviews of the works (as self-published titles) has helped me correct and rework later versions of the book. It's like getting a second chance in some respects. I've had some doozy 1-star reviews. The one that springs to mind says: "This book is F*%KED UP". That doesn't help much - I guess it just lets that particular reviewer feel important and have a vent I think. Reviews that give good feedback about characters and events in the book (without revealing plot) - those are the ones you want to pin-up on your wall. (Your real writing room wall, not a pinterest one... see question 7)
5. How do you market your books? (Stand at the top of a building and shout buy my book?) Any events you want the reader to know about e.g. Coming appearances or signing?
Oh, I'm not the best person to answer this one. I don't do much marketing. I use Facebook to let friends know when something new is coming out, or when it's on a special offer or special price. I have a Facebook profile and a Facebook Page. I'm a member of Australian Rural Romance and I like that site and enjoy writing for it. I think the organiser of ARR does a wonderful job in keeping the theme and pulling all the rural romance releases together like she does. If something is on special I'll let Twitter know, and I enjoy my blog writing. The thing that I'm not so into is organised Facebook parties, or blog hops. I don't do many (um, I haven't yet done ANY) facebook paid advertising. Personally, I'm not a fan of getting sponsored posts in my FB feeds or Twitter feeds, but other authors I know use them and use them a lot.
I had a lot of fun last summer when my Fairway To Heaven book appeared in a print bind-up with Victoria Purman and Juliet Madison. I approached my local bookstore in Busselton and told them about the book, and I know I sold that shop out a few times over as friends bought the book. Our local book club reviewed Fairway To Heaven in the 3-book bind-up as their February book of the month, and that was fun. I took some shelfies in the bookstore, and my lovely friend Juanita Kees took a selfie with her hubby Gav, holding the book. A photograph a colleague snapped of me the day those print beauties arrived would have been one of my most popular Facebook posts in terms of likes and shares. So that was nice.
It's a very special thing having a print book and I am stoked to say that it looks like later this year, I'll be able to say I can do it again!!
6. Social Media – Love it or hate it? Where do you hang out the most? Any tips to share?
I love social media - it works for me but I don't do everything. For example, I never remember to take a camera with me and I'm very mobile phone phobic... so you won't find me on instagram. I'm also not one for designing things or making things pretty - you should see my hair and my wardrobe (hint, many pairs of tracksuit pants, jeans and t-shirts) so pinterest isn't for me either. I can't be bothered. On the other hand, I really enjoy my time on Facebook and Twitter, and I have come to enjoy Goodreads a lot to see what other people are reading and what they liked. I don't like Goodreads so much when it comes to my own reviews sometimes. See question 4 🙂
7. What is your favourite motivational phrase or positive saying?
What doesn't kill me makes me stronger! (I swear, I should be an olympic weightlifter by now...)
If you want to know more about Lily you can find her here;
